Derbyshire Police Commissioner criticises Government as he seeks public opinion on raising Council Tax

Launching his annual budget survey last month, PCC Hardyal Dhindsa explained that the Government’s claim that ‘Policing will receive £10.5million in Derbyshire’ in 2021-22 is actually conditional on the average Band D property occupant paying an additional £15 per year in Council Tax.

Mr Dhindsa said: “The public have overwhelmingly supported investment in policing services throughout my term of office and I am grateful for that. We have repaid that faith with investment in additional officers and boosting services that people have prioritised.

“I am very disappointed that now, in year when so many are facing financial and other challenges never seen before in this country, the Government has chosen once again to put the bill for funding policing sufficiently at the foot of local people.”

He added: “I really don’t want to place a further financial burden on local people but faced with stark choices I have no option but to seek their opinion.”

The PCC’s survey, which closes on January 10, asks respondents to consider whether an additional 29p per week on Council Tax could be justified.

He argues that such an increase would only maintain services as they currently are, rather than fund improvements. Any more substantial increase would have to be agreed via a county-wide referendum.

Mr Dhindsa said: “If we don’t implement the £15 a year increase, there will be cuts. We will employ less people. We will not have effective resources. The public will be less satisfied with the service and feel less safe.

“Anything less than £15 from a Band D equivalent taxpayer will mean at best standing still and at worst, force the Chief Constable to make new cuts to policing services.”

He added: “It is also disappointing that, despite the Government’s pledge to recruit 20,000 additional police officers by March 2023 – 283 in Derbyshire – it has reduced the number we will receive next year by 30 per cent.

“We are still not back where we were in 2010, before we lost 400 officers and 300 police staff to funding cuts.”

To take the survey, go to www.derbyshire-pcc.gov.uk/Budget2021-22. The website also contains also details of two online budget Q&A sessions with the PCC on January 6-7.

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